Bracelet structure



Nov. 29, 1938. K' EfG. CARLSQN 2,138,570

BRACELET STRUCTURE Filed DeC. 4, 1933 Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRACELET STRUCTURE Application December 4, 1933, Serial No. 700,851

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved bracelet structure and more particularly to a novel form of take-up means comprising plates pivotally connected together and adapted to be folded into 5 intertting relation with each other for regulating the length of the bracelet to conform with the wrist of the wearer.

One object of the invention is the provision of a self-adjusting 'automatically locking take-up means for adapting the length of the bracelet to the size of the wrist.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel form of spring housing whereby the spring is supported out of Contact generally with the movable surfaces of the adjustable telescoping members and protected against wear and the frictional resistance to its operation which ordinarily occurs in devices of this character.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel form of telescoping adjustable members having a separately attachable spring housing adapted to serve as a guide housing for the spring and at the same time be held in proper position by means of one of the telescoping members.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a housing for the spring member adapted to serve as a stop for limiting the movement of the adjustable telescoping members in one direction and at the same time limiting the degree of compression to which the spring may be subjected.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel form and arrangement of the telescoping members with relation to each other and the spring housing supported by one of said telescoping members.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relate to various new and improved details of construction and arrangements of the parts as will be more fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

Referring to the drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the bracelet structure showing the extensible take-up means with the elements in their folded positions in full lines, and illustrating them in their extended positions by means of dotted lines,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the take-up means showing the sections in partially opened position and illustrating the form and arrangement of certain of the elements,

Fig. 3 is a view, partially in section, showing the form and arrangement of the parts of the outer section of the take-up means together with the telescoping member associated therewith,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the take-up means, showing the parts in their folded positions, v

Fig. 5 is a to-p plan View of the take-up means, showing the parts in their fully extended positions,

Fig 6 is a perspective View of the inner telescoping member,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the supporting plate or outer telescoping member, and,

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the separate spring housing removed from the supporting plate.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herewith l designates generally a bracelet structure, which comprises a take-up means 2 and Wrist Watch 3 connected by bracelet sections 4 and 5, each of which may be formed from av plurality of link members 6 interconnected with each other by link connecting members l.

The take-up means 2 may be said to comprise end members 9 and l0 and an intermediate member Il having their adjacent ends pivotally connected together in any suitable manner, as by hinge pins i4 and l5, to permit the members to be moved into extended position or be folded together into intertting relation with each other.

Each bracelet section 4 and 5 has one end pivotally connected with the watch 3, as indicated at i6, and the opposite end suitably secured to one of the end members 9 or l0 of the take-up means as is usual in devices of this character.

The end member 9 of the take-up means may be provided with a rolled end I1 for attachment to the adjacent link member 6, and the end link 6 of the bracelet section 4 may be connected with the end portion of a telescoping member or extension member I8, carried by the end number l0, by means of a loop shaped connecting member I9.

The intertting members 9 and Il are each channel shaped in cross section, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, being provided with opposite side flanges 2l) and 2| respectively, shaped to permit the members 9 and l l to intert with each other when in folded position with the side flanges 2l fitting within the side flanges 2i) and the side flanges 2U iitting closely within the inturned portions of the flanges 22 carried by the member 24.

The member I of the take-up means comprises a supporting member or plate 24 which is provided with longitudinally extending side flanges 22, each having a portion 26 turned inwardly from the plane of the iiange 22, and

spaced from the main body portion of the plate or member 24 a substantially equal distance throughout its extent to form a guideway 28 for the reception of one of a pair of spaced arms or lateral edge portions 29 carried by or forming a part of the inner telescoping member or extension member I8. The supporting plate or member 24 is also provided at one end witbuan outturned lip 38 for a purpose which wilt-bl: more fully described hereinafter, and has openings 3| formed in the flanges 22 for the reception of the hinge pin I5. The end of the plate or member 24 opposite to the outturned lip 3l) is inturned to provide a lug 32 having undercut notches 33 formed in the ends thereof, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing. A

The inner telescoping member of extension member I8, forming a part of the take-up section IB, may be formed from a thin metal sheet and provided with a pair of spaced arms or lateral edge portions 29 arranged substantially parallel with each other and adapted to t slidably within the guideways 28 of the plate or member 24. The spaced arms or side edges 29 have adjacent ends connected together by means of a bar 34, which may also be formed from rolled metal plate. The opposite ends of said spaced arms 29 are connected by a plate 35, which in the present instance is formed integral with the metal of the arms 29, and comprises a centrallyrpositioned channel shaped portion 36 of suitable size to slidably engage the spring housing 31 ywhen the same is positioned upon the plate or member 24.

If desired, the spaced arms 29, or the bar 34,

or both, may be formed from'solid stock, either round or angular in cross section, and these parts may be of integral construction or may be secured together in any desired manner. In such case the plate 35 connecting the arms 29 may be rolled thereover or secured thereto in any suitable or desired manner. A downturned lug 38 is provided at one end of the channel shaped portion 36 and is adapted to t slidably Within the slot 40 formed in one end of the housing 31 and engage one end of the coiled spring 4I, the opposite end of the spring 4I seating against the lug 32 carried by plate or member 24.Y The spring housing 31 is provided at one end with a pair of projecting ribs 44 adapted to t within the notches 33 formed in the lug 32 in order to hold one end of the spring housing 31 securely positioned relative to the plate or member 24 when the parts are in assembled position.

The opposite end of the spring housing is inclined slightly as indicated atV 45, so as to fit beneath and be held in position by the coiled end portion 43 of the member II when the parts are in assembled position and the hinge pin I5 is passed through the openings 3| formed in the flanges 22 and the coiled end potrion 46 of the member II to retain these parts in pivotal engagement with ach other.

In assembling the elements making up the member I3 the inner telescoping member or extension member I8 may be rst telescoped within the plate or member 24 by inserting the spaced arms or lateral edge portions 29 and channel shaped portion 36 within the plate or member 24 in such a manner that the spaced arms or lateral edge portions 29 slide within the guide-Ways 28. The spring housing 31, having the spring 4| positioned therein is then inserted Within the channel shaped portion 36 suficiently to permit the projecting ribs 44 to pass the lug 32, when the spring housingis pressed closely against the plate 34 and spring housing 31 ts beneath the rolled end 46 of the member I I when the parts are in assembled position and the spring housing is thus held in position upon the plate or member 24 with the ribs 44 fitting within the notches 33. T he channel shaped portion 36 of the inner telescoping member or extension member I8 overlies and slidably engages the spring housing 31 to assist in retaining the spring housing in position and guide the telescoping member or extension member I8 in its movement relative to the plate or member 24. 'Ihe downturned lug 38 carried by one end of Y the channel shaped portion 36 is shaped to fit Within the slot 40 and engage one end of the compression spring 4I, the opposite end of the spring 4I abutting against the lug 32 carried by the plate or member 24. The spring 4I is thus normally effective to draw the telescoping member or exn tension member I8 into telescoping relation with the supporting plate or member 24. That portion of the spring housing 31 which forms one end wall of the slot 4I), which is designated as 41, serves as a stop for the lug 38 to limit the movement of the telescoping member or extension member I8 rela-Y tive to the plate or member 24 and thus limits the degree of compression to which the coiled spring 4I may be subjected in expanding the telescoping member I8 with relation to the plate or member 24.

The member II of the take-up means is provided vvith a plurality of transverse slots or depressions 48, any one of which is adapted to be engaged by an upstanding lug or detent 48 carried by the telescoping member I8 in such a manner as to lock the telescoping member in any one of a plurality of extended Vpositions with relation to the plate or member 24 when the pivoted members of the take-up means are in their folded position. In practice, the position of the lug 49 upon the portion 36 Vof the telescoping member may be Varied as desired longitudinally thereof and the openings or depressions 48 in the member I I may be varied to correspond with the position of the detent 49. If desired, also, the side flanges 2Iv of the foldable member II may be omitted, nparticularly when some means other than the openings or depressions 48 are employed for cooperative engagement with the latching means carried by the extension member I8. The opposite side flanges 20 of the take-up member 9 may be provided with one or more outwardly projecting detents 50 adapted to engage beneath the edge 5I of the inturned portions 26 of the plate or member 24 to firmly secure the take-up members in folded position and hold them against accidental separation.

In order to separate the infolded members of the take-up means for the purpose of removing the bracelet structure the outturned lip 30 of the the bracelet over the hand of the user. 'Ihe 75 members 9, I and Il may then be partially folded as shown in Fig. 2, in order to roughly adjust the bracelet to the wrist, resulting in partially withdrawing the inner telescoping member or extension member i8 from the plate or member 2e, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing, to such an extent as may be desired in order to cause the bracelet to fit about the wrist with the desired degree of tightness. The members 9, i0 and H are then forced into engaging folded position with each other, whereupon the detent 49 engages one of the openings or depressions 48 formed in the member il thus holding the members i8 and 2Q against further extension or contraction relative to each other. At the same time the projecting detents 50 engage beneath the edge 5| of the inturned portions 26 of the flanges 22 to lock the members il, I 0 and Il against separation.

It will be seen that the structure above described is thus substantially self adjusting in that the spring 4I tendsl to draw the telescoping member i8 within the plate 24 to an extent sufficient to t the wrist with the desired closeness, and when thus adjusted the parts lock automatically in any desired adjusted position upon pressing the take-up sections together, since the detent t9 automatically engages with one of the openings or depressions 8 upon the take-up sections being folded into close engagement with each other.

It will be seen also that the spring housing 3l tends to maintain the spring il in separated position relative to the moving parts of the relatively expansible members whereby wear upon the spring is avoided as well as the danger of breakage through the spring becoming caught upon one of the movable members. The provision of the separate spring housing 31 also permits removal and replacement of the spring member readily when desired.

What I claim iszl. In a device of the character described, a plurality of members hinged together and foldable into engagement with each other, an extension member slidably supported by one of said foldable members, resilient means operative between said extension member and its supporting member for drawing said extension member into telescoping relation with its supporting member, and interengaging means carried by said extension member and one of the remaining members for locking said extension member in any one of a plurality of positions relative to its support- .5 ing member when the foldable members are in 3. In a bracelet structure, extensible means for connecting the ends of a pair of bracelet sections comprising a supporting member, an eX- tension member slidably mounted on said supporting member, resihent means engaging said extension member and supporting member for drawing said extension member into telescoping relation with said supporting member, a foldable member mounted for pivotal movement into folded relation with said supporting member, and cooperating means carried by two of said members out of engagement with each other when said foldable member is in unfolded position and engageable upon movement of said foldable member into folded relation with said supporting member for locking said extension member in fixed position upon and against sliding movement in either direction relative to said supporting member when said foldable member is moved into folded engagement with said supporting member.

4. An extension means comprising a supporting member having means for slidably supporting and guiding an extension member, an extension member slidably supported by said supporting member and having laterally spaced longitudinally extending side portions, spring means positioned between the spaced side portions of said extension member and engaging said extension member and supporting member respectively for drawing said extension member into telescoping relation with said supporting member, and a separate spring housing carried by said supporting member and located between the spaced longitudinally extending side portions of said extension member and enclosing portions of said spring means to maintain them out of direct contact with said extension member.

5. An extensible connector for bracelets cornprising two sliding members connected to slide endwise one upon the other, spring means engaging said sliding members and effective to draw them into telescoping relation with each other, a folding member, means pivotally connecting the folding member to one of the sliding members, said folding member constituting a connecting link between the sliding members and one end of the bracelet, and means carried by said folding member and one of said sliding members inoperative when the folding member is in open position but operative when the folding member is folded over in closed position upon the sliding members to prevent lengthwise adjustment of the sliding members in either direction relative to each other.

6. In an extension means for connecting the ends of a pair of bracelet sections comprising a supporting member provided with spaced guideways, an extension member having spaced sides slidably mounted in the spaced guideways of said supporting member, a spring housing xedly secured to said supporting member and located between and in laterally spaced relation with the spaced sides of said extension member, and a spring means positioned within said housing and resiliently engaging portions of said supporting member and extension member and normally operative for drawing them into telescoping relatinn with each other.

EDWIN G. CARLSON. 

